WASHINGTON, DC – AUGUST 02: Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), followed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), gives a thumbs up as he walks to vote on the debt limit bill on August 2, 2011 in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 74-26 to approve the bill to raise the debt ceiling, allowing the U.S. to avoid default on its debts. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Representative Connie Mack IV jumped into the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate late, but quickly became the nominee. But, he’s found a much tougher road in his general election matchup with incumbent Senator Bill Nelson.
Mack has been trailing in most polls, sometimes in the double-digits and part of the problem is the Senate campaign is getting lost in the noise of the presidential campaign. Nelson has an advantage in money, but Mack is getting outside help from Republican Super PAC’s. like Crossroad, run by Karl Rove.
In the last Washington Post poll, Nelson holds a commanding 14-point lead among likely voters over Mack, 54-40 percent. Early in the election cycle, Nelson was thought to be very vulnerable, especially after Republicans lobbied hard for Mack to join.
Nelson’s lead is 18 points among independents, 55-37, moderates, 65-25, and in the Tampa Bay area, 56-41. Nelson also wins more Republicans, 15 percent, than Mack wins Democrats, 4 percent, according to the Post poll.
It’s prompted some of his supporters to ask for the Congressman to take the gloves on and go after Nelson. Mack just finished a six-day tour around the state that went through 17 cities.
Each stop featured Mack trying to draw a distinction between himself and Nelson on topics like federal spending, health care, and guns. But, with the general election a little more than 40 days away, and President Barack Obama’s coattails seemingly gaining momentum, Mack is running out of time.
Mack’s events on his bus tour typically drew between 40 and 60 people, according to the Associated Press.
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